These days, businesses of all sizes use a variety of different marketing methods in order to boost success levels and increase their customer base. This includes marketing such as eye-catching adverts on websites, online banners, traditional marketing in print media, TV advertising, email newsletters, social networking platforms and more.
One other method that is used by many savvy businesses is blogging – something that can be extremely effective when implemented correctly. Blogging gives businesses a great opportunity to attract readers who then go on to become customers, which means that you can benefit from a very simple and cost effective means of marketing your business. Companies such as online casino giant, Euro Palace, use blogging very effectively to their advantage as do businesses such as Expedia and fashion retailer New Look.
How to boost conversions
In order to make blogging work for your business it is important to take some key points into consideration. First off, one mistake that many businesses make is failing to keep blogs up to date. Nobody wants to click on a blog post only to find that it was created two years ago and there has been nothing since. Blog regularly but also make sure that the posts are relevant, well written, and interesting for audiences. Talking of audiences, you need to make sure that you know your target market and then write in a way that will appeal to that specific market, as this is likely to help boost your conversion rate. Your content needs to be engaging for your target audience – for example, Euro Palace, which offers access to online table and slot games, uses up to date and engaging blog posts to draw in readers.
If you are blogging with a view to increasing sales, you need to also make sure that your copy is persuasive and provides readers with information that will persuade them to switch from simply browsing to actually buying. However, avoid turning your blog into some sort of sales advertisement, as this will simply put readers off. The pitch must be subtle and has to come through informative content rather than tacky one-liners that make it look like a hard-sell. Travel giant Expedia does this very effectively by providing interesting destination based blogs and articles with tips and advice. Readers then get to learn more about various destinations and are more likely to want to book up for a trip.
The layout of your content is also important. If you simply write reams and reams of content in lengthy paragraphs, readers will quickly get bored. You need to make the content easily digestible, which means using short paragraphs, punch titles and sub-headings, and plenty of bullet points. Canterbury blogs are a great example, as the sportswear retailer uses plenty of graphics and bite-size paragraphs to make the content easier on the eye. Euro Palace also does this, combining quality images and eye-catching sub-headings to break up the content in blog posts. The type of language that you use should also be given careful consideration. Use words that focus on positive emotions, as actions such as making purchases are often driven by emotion.
Finally, make sure that the content that you create is of high quality because poorly written blog posts will end up doing more damage than good. If your readers see blog posts that have well written, relevant and interesting content they are far more likely to become customer than if they see half hearted attempts at blogging that have clearly only been created in a bid to try and drum up more business.
